The Department of Agriculture has announced that no Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will be distributed Nov. 1 due to the government shutdown, affecting 42 million Americans. The USDA, under Trump appointee Brooke Rollins, has stated that the "well has run dry" and that contingency funds cannot be used without an existing appropriation.

Stacey Philpot, a licensed professional counselor, has expanded the Life Repair Center of Front Royal in Virginia to include six therapists and staff members, as well as services such as animal therapy and substance abuse counseling. The center has also opened an emergency shelter and a transitional housing apartment through its nonprofit arm, the Community Care and Repair Center.

The Gwinnett County Public Library in Georgia has launched the New Start Entrepreneurship Incubator Program to help formerly incarcerated individuals start businesses. The six-month course includes online coursework, in-person classes and mentorship, covering topics such as finance, marketing and business planning. The program, funded by Google and the American Library Association, has graduated 42 entrepreneurs since 2021.

Integrating spiritual care into the treatment of serious conditions can help patients process their experience and manage pain, experts say. "When we've interviewed patients and talked to them about it, not infrequently many patients want their doctor to be their doctor and to be open to this, but they're really more plugged into their nursing team or social work team to dive deeper into spirituality and religion with them," said surgeon and researcher Timothy Pawlik.

Medicare could have saved $301.5 million on opioid use disorder treatment if bundled payments better matched services provided, according to an Office of Inspector General audit. The audit found that bundled payments often exceeded the actual cost of services because of flaws in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' methodology.

Memphis-Shelby County Schools has seen a significant drop in student participation in suicide and bullying prevention training because of the Tennessee Families' Rights and Responsibilities Act, which requires parental consent for psychological services. The law, intended to protect parental rights, has been amended to allow some non-emergency care, but MSCS officials say it still limits the reach of mental health support, particularly from social workers.

If you struggle with productivity, it may be that the tools you're using are misaligned with your natural cognitive style, writes Deliberate Direction's Allison Dunn, who outlines four dominant styles, including those who are driven by logic and data, those who are collaborative and those who pay attention to detail. Dunn suggests tools that match each style as well as tips on arranging your workspace to optimize your time.

Layoffs are difficult for everyone involved, but managers, especially, need training in how to deliver the news and take time to empathize with those losing their jobs, according to those responding to a Preply survey. The majority wanted managers to explain the reasons for termination more clearly, especially when it involved performance, so that they could improve for their next position, the survey found.

Digital abuse is a growing form of gender-based violence that often goes unnoticed, writes licensed clinical social worker Chamin Ajjan. Ajjan notes that digital abuse includes actions such as monitoring phones, sharing private information and using GPS to stalk. She emphasizes the need for mental health professionals to recognize and address digital abuse as a serious issue, highlighting its psychological effects and the importance of safety planning in digital spaces.